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Gardeners World blog

Wildlife

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Posted by: Richard Jones, 25 January 2008, 11.27AM

Robin This weekend is the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch, the world's largest bird survey. In last year's Birdwatch, over 400,000 people sat for an hour and noted which species visited their gardens; six million birds were counted. The Big Garden Birdwatch is a simple and fun way for non-specialists to collect important data. The survey provides a great boost, year-on-year, to statistics on garden birds; it shows which species are common, and those which are in decline.

I'll certainly be doing my bit this weekend. I must admit, I'll relish the opportunity to sit down for an hour, something I don't often get to do. My time in the garden today was spent checking the sore end of a recently-castrated rabbit (two minutes), putting the recycling boxes back round the side of the house (one minute) and taking the bike from yesterday's cycling proficiency exercise out of the kitchen (30 seconds).

I did notice a few birds on Peckham Rye later, though. Two-and-three-quarter-year-old needed airing so we hit the playground. He found a little chum and while they were mixing mud porridge and falling over a lot I glanced skyward. There didn't seem to be that much about, other than the usual noisy fare: crows, wood pigeons and ring-necked parakeets. No sign of the goldfinches, dunnocks or coal tits portrayed on my birdwatch handout, but hopefully I'll see some of those this weekend.

I later discovered that although I wasn't paying too much attention to the birds, they had had their eyes on me. Back at the car it looked as though someone had splattered a mug of blackberry yogurt over my windscreen. Oh yes, that'll have been the seagulls I saw up there too.

Comments

  • Lynne

    24 January 2008, 03.40PM

    I recently had a rare treat in my Sheffield garden,there were 9 Blackbirds,yes 9,all jockying for position.it was a Sunday and only by chance was I at home,very lucky.This must surely be a world record.

  • anna

    26 January 2008, 10.55AM

    i have an allotment on top of the law hill in dundee and on any day i have one wren two robins two blackbirds numeruos blue tits at the bird feeders we keep the bird feeders up all year long

  • jaz

    26 January 2008, 05.55PM

    we have got a green woodpecker,greater spotted and a lesser spotted woodpeckers. we also have greenfinches,blue tits ,long tailed tits,and cole tits and a little wren ,and four robins

  • Dunfermline gardener

    27 January 2008, 08.45AM

    Unfortunately the garden is sadly lacking in bird activity this weekend - they seem to boycott us during the RSPB Birdwatch! Whether this is due to the gale force winds of the past few days or the ever present threat of the neighbour's cats I don't know.

    We've certainly seen less bird activity since the arrival of the moggies next door in spite of my gourmet treats on the feeders.

  • Dawn Jones Birmingham

    27 January 2008, 05.40PM

    Whilst sitting down to a late Sunday lunch today through the window we were amazed to see a GOSHAWK enjoying their lunch on our lawn. It was a wonderful sight that lasted about 20 minutes but we all had a wonderful view of a magnificent bird.

  • Martin, Putney London

    28 January 2008, 05.19PM

    After last year watching the Blue Tits bully the Robins and Sparrows away from our feeders, this year a Gang of Great Tits have established themselves at the top of the pecking order. The RAF could learn a thing or two from these dog fights.

  • pat green witney oxfordshire

    28 January 2008, 08.26PM

    we frequently see a Honey Buzzard sitting on a hedge, right beside a busy road. At first we were worried for its saftey, but has so far survived.It looks quite lean but not skinny and we have seen it eating carrion and road kill. Last year we counted 6 Honey Buzzards up high in the sky calling to each other with their evocative screech,could they be our juvenile's family? We feel privilege to see such proud birds.

  • Mike Sherriff

    28 January 2008, 09.49PM

    Once again garden bird watch has been leaked to my birds.Over the past few weeks we have spotted 15 blackbirds,12 goldfinches,8 long-tailed tits as well as robins,chaffinches,blue tits and even a redwing along with all the usual suspects.Come Sunday morning.....nothing,not even a bird in sight let alone in the garden.I sat patiently for two hours,pad and pen clasped eagerly in hand but someone had tipped off the birds again for the third year running.Looking forward to next year...ever the optomist.

  • Richard Jones

    29 January 2008, 04.53PM

    Update

    So much for my enthusiasm. Not one single bird. I sat for ages at breakfast Sunday. Then again with a little something at eleven. Then as evening fell. Not one single bird. Of course, it did not help much that the cats were both sunning themselves obviously on top of the rabbit hutch. It's not a big garden, and bird life can be a bit erratic round here, but... nothing!? It's made me all the more determined to have a look on every other day of the year.

  • plotholder

    31 January 2008, 08.33PM

    After seeing some of the comments concerning our feathery garden residents, I thought I must tell you of the story of a local robin that visits our garden,(for the sake of his amnesty, we will call him 'robin'!) one sunny warm autumn day last year both me and my wife was standing in the garden talking about what we were going to plant where and when the following the year.

    The next thing we knew robin flew down sat on the fence in front of us both, approx 3 foot away and sat there watching and listening to us. I suddenly had the bright idea to reach out towards the bird table pick up a few seeds, and pieces of dried fruit, then hold it out in front of me. To our amazement robin flew down picked out a tasty looking piece of fruit and flew back to the fence, ever since, he or she has been back several times to be hand fed. On one particular day, robin came down whilst I was very busy gardening, and he flew down beside me, then in front of me, and wherever I moved he followed, what he was after was ONLY to be hand fed, then he flew off after having a decent feed. I'm pleased to say that he still visits. Has anyone else had this sort of experience?

  • Colin Tabb

    24 February 2008, 01.42PM

    For a number of years we have have had a colony of house and hedge sparrows breeding in the eaves of our house. Over the last few days we have noticed that they are now squeezing into our bluetit nest box. We have also found a dead baby bluetit in the garden. Is it early for them to be breeding and also is it normal for sparrows to be using the bluetit box. I appreciate they will get into anywhere for breeding but they really are having difficulty getting in through the hole. Also a male sparrow is sat on top the the box most of the day calling I assume for a female. Thank you in anticipation for your reply.

  • patc_s

    10 April 2008, 09.04AM

    Yesterday I was amazed to see in my garden in Tilehurst, Reading, some very young Siskin. They were quite fluffy with very short tails. Am I wrong in thinking that these were incredibly early?

  • joey northwood kirkby allotments nr liverpool

    18 August 2008, 07.05PM

    commentBox: i am on my allotment every week day. in the mornings. thers no one else ther. and when i am diging my allotment the only frend that cumes to me his the robin. for the od worm.

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